The story's protagonist is a homeless man who is known only as Soapy. It is the start of winter and Soapy plans to spend the entire season inside, away from the cold streets. Soapy does not like hostels for the homeless which are run by charitable organizations. For that reason, he plans instead to get arrested for some petty offense and to receive a short jail sentence. Soapy spends a day trying to get arrested and failing at each attempt. When he pauses outside a church and listens to a hymn (the "anthem" of the story's title), Soapy is reminded of better days in the past and hopes for a better future. He has a complete change of heart and decides that he does not want to get arrested after all. A passing policeman, however, has other ideas.